Issue Date: July 11, 2004
Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd should get more attention in America. What is he involved in right now?
Abby Kennedy, Phoenix
He plays Lancelot in "King Arthur," which opened Wednesday. It's his first big movie role, but he tells us it hasn't gone to his head. "I've succeeded being on the fringes, on the quiet." Gruffudd, 30, would like to emulate Leonardo DiCaprio, waiting for interesting roles, even after a blockbuster. "Too much too soon is not a good thing. My career is on a slow incline," says Gruffudd, pronounced GRIFF-ith. He does have one regret about Arthur: "I didn't get to kiss [co-star] Keira Knightley."
Tell me more about singer Josh Groban -- particularly how it came to be that such a powerful voice comes out of such a young man.
Sandra Powell, Beaver Dam, Wis.
He had music-loving parents, an intense musical education and recognition from the time he began singing in junior high. He plays piano by ear, like his dad, and the drums for fun. The singer, 23, who dates actress January Jones ("American Wedding"), is looking at acting himself, though he's been on a break since May, during which he bought a house and spent time with Jones. Groban goes out on tour again next week.
Is CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta married or dating anyone?
Rania Rahi, New York City
He's not married and won't talk about whether he's dating. However, Gupta, 34, one of "People's" sexiest men alive last year, tells us he's learned the value of friendship. "For 11 years I was so busy and so focused on my work, to the point it was ridiculous. I completely lost touch with [friends]." Four years ago, he renewed contact and found "this is why you get up every morning, to have those interactions and relationships."
The very wealthy Olsen girls say they want to be seen as individuals, but I think the twin thing is working. Do you think Mary-Kate (right) and Ashley can get work separately?
Angel Marie Moll, Bellingham, Mass.
It will be difficult but not impossible. As one casting director tells us: "It's unchartered territory. It could work if they find projects that enhance their differences." Most important to the girls right now is attending NYU in the fall. "They'll continue to act together, run their business together, and work separately both in front of and behind the camera," their rep says. Now 18, they're officially co-presidents of the $1 billion Dualstar Entertainment Group.
Is there any truth to the rumor that Diane Lane will star in a film adaptation of one of my favorite novels, Claire Cook's "Must Love Dogs?"
Rachel Thompson May, Houston
Sorry, Rachel. Not true. Lane, 39 -- whose most recent novel-turned-film, "Under the Tuscan Sun," didn't do huge business -- just finished starring in a drama for 2005, "Fierce People," shot in Vancouver.
Can you give me some background info on Yannick Bisson and Rick Peters, who are on PAX TV's "Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye?"
Peggy Dunn, Rockaway, N.J.
Canadian Bisson, 35, who plays agent Jack Hudson, and Detroit-born Peters, 37, who plays Aussie agent Bobby Manning, both live in Toronto, where the show is shot, with their wives and kids (five between them). They're friends and fellow hockey enthusiasts. During the break from filming this summer, Bisson will work with the screenwriter of a comedy film, "Hank and Mike," which he might produce. Peters, who lived Down Under as a teen but has no accent off-screen, heads to L.A. to line up a side project.
"JAG's" David James Elliott is so likable and talented. Why don't we see him in movies or other TV shows? Also, will his character ever admit he loves Catherine Bell's character, Mac?
June Strueber, Dubuque, Iowa
Yes, even producers say it's about time to get the two main characters together. But writers also want to react to real-world events, keeping "JAG" relevant in its upcoming 10th season. As for Elliott, 43, we're told he gets offers but can't take extra work and preserve family time. For example, this summer Elliott, wife Nanci Chambers, and their two kids headed to a remote island. Romance is on the way for Elliott's "Harm."
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It's hard enough to lose weight when you don't cook for a living. Juan-Carlos Cruz, the Food Network's new "Calorie Commando," did it while making scrumptious desserts. A pastry chef in L.A., Cruz was 38 and rotund when one day he ran out of breath walking up stairs. The next day he signed up for Discovery Channel's first "Body Challenge" and lost 43 pounds on the show (29 more later). Cruz, 42, ate one truffle a day "to keep my sanity," but "not having cookies was brutal. Some people smoke; I eat cookies." His new mission: cutting calories from food so we all can eat without guilt.
Why do so many celebrity couples end up divorced?
Wade Carmen, Cleveland, Tenn.
Egos, idolatry and adultery all play into it, says attorney Raoul Felder, who handles everyone who's anyone. "Often, there's a conflict between statuses. One becomes more successful than the other, as was the case with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman." Plus, "there are lots of temptations. They are idols exposed to people who are throwing themselves at them." Business decisions and entourages may play a role, as may attitude. As Felder tells us: "They live in a milieu where divorce is totally acceptable. Generally, they're narcissistic, self-involved people."
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BIRTHDAYS
July 11: Lil' Kim, 30, Richie Sambora, 45, Sela Ward, 48
July 12: Richard Simmons, 56, Bill Cosby, 67
July 13: Cameron Crowe, 47, Harrison Ford, 62
July 14: Gerald Ford, 91
July 15: Scott Foley, 32, Forest Whitaker, 43, Linda Ronstadt, 58
July 16: Will Ferrell, 37
July 17: David Hasselhoff, 52, Donald Sutherland, 70
Contributing: Gayle Jo Carter, Chris Cognac, Tameka Hicks, Kevin Maynard, Evelyn Poitevent, Frappa Stout
Gruffudd and Evans: Tammie Arroyo, AP Photo; Groban: Rusty Kennedy, AP; Gupta: Andrew Eccles, CNN; Olsens: Kevin Mazur, WireImage; Lane: Chris Pizzello, AP; Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye: Joseph Viles; Elliott: Steve Granitz, WireImage; Cruz: Courtesy of Food Network
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